The Archive Formatted at 1280 X 1020 minimum - failure to view at this res may cause weird formatting , you have been warned !!!!!!! Updated Jan 2013
This site is dedicated to the memory of Roger Hutchinson, who inspired me to delve deep into the magic of the free festival and who passed away Sept 3rd 2010.
R.I.P. Roger .....
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For information on today's festivals see eFestivals.co.uk
R.IP. Phil Shaksby , aka Phil The Beer ,who passed away April 2010 . |
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1967-1992. |
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The Bristol Free Festival
Sun May 9th 1971 .
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A member of the organising committee lands on a passing air taxi to inform the occupants of the attractions contained by the impending festival Images courtesy Gordon Strong |
The Bristol Free Festival 1971
Referred to then as ‘The Downs Concert’, this hippy hoe-down was organised like a small military operation. The site overlooked the Clifton Suspension Bridge. The plan was straightforward - to set up a generator and all the amplification – get down and boogie. All was masterminded by Dave ‘Basil’ Hayles the ‘Dwarf Party’ candidate for the local elections. The name was based on the Amsterdam anarchist movement Kabouter - which apparently means ‘dwarf’. Such was the political element, and Basil was also on the run from the Law – a desperado. So, the whole deal had the space cowboys excited. The Hells Angels who lived in their HQ on the outskirts of the city agreed to guard the generator. ‘Tank’, ‘Denny the Pervert’ ,‘Doc’ and the rest of the West Coast Chapter were relatively peaceable guys, so Altamont it most definitely was not - thank goodness. Flyers
were distributed, and every head in Bristol knew something groovy was
going to happen on Sunday afternoon. Boys and girls in rainbow threads
appeared from every corner of hippiedom, helped set the thing up, and
the fun soon began. The bands performed in the centre of the crowd who
sat on the grass (or smoked it) surrounded by amps and Angels. Lots
of fat joints got passed around and it all got more spacey. Three bands
played - Flash Gordon, Magic Muscle and Wisper. The enthusiasm of the
musicians may sometimes have exceeded their technique, but most of the
time authentic acid rock filled the air. |
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